The U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad is hosting the U.S.-India Defence Ties Conference on December 18-19 here

The Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) are organising the conference in partnership with the U.S. Consulate. The conference will bring together government officials, corporate leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs, to build on both countries’ achievements and further strengthen U.S.-India collaboration in defence manufacturing and innovation, according to a US Consulate release issued here on Tuesday.

The bilateral defence relationship between the United States and India is strong and continuing to grow. The partnership has evolved into a strategic relationship involving joint research, co-development and production of high-end defence equipment and expanded cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. and Indian companies are already collaborating in the co-production of C-130 transport aircraft, F-16 fighter planes, and Apache helicopters at joint facilities in Hyderabad. Through strong U.S.-India private sector collaboration, Hyderabad and other innovation centres in India continue to evolve as important aerospace and defence manufacturing hubs, the release added.

In addition to the first ever tri-service military exercise between India and the US, Tiger Triumph, on Andhra Pradesh coast in November, Visakhapatnam port has welcomed three U.S Navy ship visits in the past year. The American and Indian militaries work together to increase interoperability, build partner capacity, prevent conflict, and promote regional strength and peace throughout the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, the U.S.-India defence relationship, and resulting cooperation in industry and technology, is an innovation engine and job-creator for both Indians and Americans.

The U.S.-India Defence Ties Conference will focus on the following topics: U.S.-India bilateral defence legacy and policies, U.S. industry involvement, and areas for co-development and co-production. Conference attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the U.S.-India defence partnership, network with both key decision-makers and subject matter experts, and highlight private sector innovation and technologies for the defence sector.